Secrets
by Priestess Minerva
Summary: Everyone has something to hide; something they don't want anyone else to know. But sometimes, these secrets have to be brought out before they destroy us from the inside out. Second in a series.
1. Secrets: Part 1

Author's Notes: Hey, it's me again. Just wanted to let you know this was actually my first BW fic. So be gentle ^^;  
  
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_Days go by I'm hypnotized  
I'm walking on a wire  
I close my eyes and fly out of my mind  
Into the fire  
Light the sky and hold on tight  
The world is burning down  
She's out there on her own and she's all right  
Sunny came home....  
_-- 'Sunny Came Home' by Shawn Colvin   
  
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"Buurrnn Maximals, buuurrrnnn!!" screamed Inferno, charging into battle.   
"He's got to come up with a new saying," sighed Mad Jackel as she dodged behind a rock to avoid the fire from Inferno's flame thrower.   
"Ya, you can tell him that at the next group meeting," snickered Rattrap, who was also using the rock for cover.   
MJ raised her eyebrows (not that she HAD eyebrows, but you get the idea ). "Couldn't the Preds wait till AFTER lunch to attack; I'm starving!"   
"Think about your stomach later," yelled Dinobot, rushing at Inferno with his sword drawn. "Right now we have a battle to win!"   
Rattrap noticed Quickstrike and Waspinator advancing toward them. "Chopperface has a point. You take Quickstrike, I'll handle bug-eyes."   
Mad Jackel nodded in agreement, even though she hated having to take orders from him, and charged toward Quickstrike, firing her hand blasters.   
  
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**Elsewhere on the battlefield...**   
"Why... won't... you... just... die?!" screamed a very frustrated Livewire, trying her best to shoot Sting Blade out of the sky. The nimble hornet avoided every shot.   
"Maxzzimal need to work on her aim," buzzed Sting Blade, blasting at the female firefly.   
Livewire managed to dodge the first two shots, but got nailed by the third and was sent flying into a rock formation. Luckily she wasn't damaged much. "Yo Airazor, could use a little help here!"   
"I'm.... uhh... kinda busy at the moment!" said Airazor, punching Buzz Saw in the jaw.   
The Predacon flyer barley seemed to notice and came at her again. "Bird-bot should give up, Buzz Saw will dezztroy you."   
"Yeah right," said Airazor, trying to sound as brave as she could. _Sure hope the others are doing better than we are,_ she thought.   
  
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Well... better is in a manner of speaking.   
Rattrap and Dinobot were doing pretty well, more or less. Mad Jackel, on the other had never actually gone head to head with Quickstrike before. So she was a little taken aback when he head-butted her, especially since he had a very hard head and absolutely nothing in it!   
"Geez, is that any way to treat a lady?"   
"Ha, you ain't no lady!" sneered Quickstrike.   
"Oh, you're gonna pay for that!!" she growled as she tackled him.   
Quickstrike decided he had definitely underestimated her. Mad Jackel was a powerful warrior, especially when she had been insulted. Quickstrike soon found himself in a rather uncomfortable headlock with Jackel covering his optics with her hand. "Get off, ya crazy tinhorn, I can't see," yelled Quickstrike, running wildly, trying to shake her off his back.   
"That the point!" she laughed as he headed right for the edge of the cliff. The female managed to leap off, but Quickstrike couldn't quite stop in time...   
"Ahh!" *bang* "Ow!" *whamp* "Eh, dagnabit!" *clank* "Ooo!" *SMACK*   
Mad Jackel watched him tumble down the side of the cliff. "Man, that's gotta hurt. I hope!" Then she ran off to help the others.   
  
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Meanwhile Airazor and Livewire were trying to figure out what to do while their cover was slowly being blasted away by Buzz Saw and Sting Blade.   
"I think we gotta problem here," sighed Livewire. Suddenly her face brightened. "Hey, why don't we try maneuver 13B?"   
"You really think that will work?"   
"There's a first time for everything; 'sides, what we got to lose?"   
The two Maximals flew off in opposite directions with a Predacon chasing after each of them. Then, Livewire circled back around toward Airazor with Sting Blade following close at her heels. Airazor stopped in midair. Buzz Saw prepared to blast her, just as Livewire flew up next to her. The two females moved out of the line of fire just in time causing Buzz Saw's shot to miss them completely. Unfortunately it blasted right through Sting Blade's chest, sending her tumbling out of control to the ground.   
Buzz Saw was shocked at what he had just done, giving Airazor the chance to blast him in the back. Buzz Saw crashed into the ground; he picked himself up and crawled over to where Sting Blade had landed. He knew he better get her to a CR tank, and soon.   
Livewire and Airazor watched as Buzz Saw gently carried his companion off to the Predacon base. "Ya think we should go after them?" asked Livewire.   
"No, I think our friends could use our help more." They flew off.   
  
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Inferno had his hands full fighting Dinobot, so he wasn't very happy when Buzz Saw radioed in to tell him he was taking Sting Blade back to base for repairs. Inferno looked toward Waspinator who was getting his butt kicked by Mad Jackel and Rattrap, then to the two Maximal flyers heading toward them. He decided they better cut their loses. "Predacons retreat!!" he shouted   
Waspinator joined him and the two flew back toward their base, but not before picking up the unconscious heap of Quickstrike.   
"Cowards!!" yelled Dinobot shouted.   
Mad Jackel looked at Rattrap. "Can we go home now?"   
  
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"So, you have failed AGAIN!!!" growled Megatron as he shoved Waspinator into the wall.   
"Yes my Queen," said Inferno a little sadly, "We have failed you, but it will not happen again."   
"It had better not." Megatron tossed Waspinator in front of Blackarachnia.   
"Perhaps," she said, stepping back to avoid the puddle of mech fluid forming around Waspinator's unconscious body, "A little more brain power should go into our next attack."   
Megatron just glared at her and Blackarachnia decided she better keep her mouth shut.   
"Tarantulas, how are the repairs on our troops coming?"   
"Yes Megatron," stuttered Tarantulas, "Quickstrike's repairs will be complete shortly and Sting Blade is done now." He pushed some buttons on his control panel and a platform lifted out of one of the CR tanks. Off of it stepped Sting Blade, looking good as new.   
Buzz Saw flew over to her. "Sting Blade all right?" he asked.   
Sting Blade smacked him in the head. "I'd be a lot better if Buzz Saw would watch where he'zz shooting!" She was about to hit him again but Megatron grabbed her arm.   
"Miss Blade, I am not in the mood for your petty arguments," he hissed.   
The hornet swallowed nervously and took her arm back.   
"Sent Quickstrike to the command center when he's finished," said Megatron, heading toward the door. "And Tarantulas, repair Waspinator while your at it," he added as he left the medical lab.   
Buzz Saw carried Waspinator to the empty CR tank then turned to leave. Sting Blade watched him go and decide to follow him down the hall.   
She knew he had a little crush on her, and she hadn't meant to hurt his feelings. She just didn't like having one of teammates shoot her, that's all. Sting Blade waited till they were out of hearing range of the others then gently grabbed his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she sighed, "Shouldn't have gotten so mad, wazzn't really your fault."   
"Buzz Saw sorry too," he said smiling at her (well he was doing the closest thing a yellow jacket could do to smiling), "Shouldn't have let Maxzimalzz trick me."   
Sting Blade looked him in the eyes. _He isn't half bad looking,_ she thought to herself. At least he had nice eyes anyway.   
"Um... I wazz going to go out to exerzzise my wingzz, wouldn't mind some company. Want to come?"   
Buzz Saw nodded and followed her eagerly down the hall.   
Meanwhile, back in the lab, Quickstrike finished his repairs and stepped out of the C.R. tank. He didn't look happy. "I can't believe I was beaten by a dadgum female!" he sighed.   
"And what is that suppose to mean?!" growled Blackarachnia.   
"Well I.... er... I mean... um... ya see Sugarbot...." Quickstrike stuttered, trying to come up with an answer that would save his butt.   
Inferno cut in. "The Royalty wishes to see to you in the command center at once."   
Quickstrike gave a sigh of relief and headed out the door followed by Inferno. The two spiders were left alone in the room. Blackarachnia sat down in a chair next to Tarantulas and sighed.   
"Something bothering you my dear?"   
"It's just," Blackarachnia sighed again, "There's something about this Mad Jackel, something familiar..."   
"You probably met her before you went into stasis."   
"Probably, but there's something else I just can't put my claw on," she said shaking her head.   
Tarantulas looked over at the unconscious Waspinator lying on the C.R. platform. "I'm tempted to just leave him there, but Megatron would cut off my energon supply."   
Blackarachnia didn't hear a would he said though, she was busy with her own private thoughts.   
  
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"Interesting," said Optimus.   
He, Rhinox, and Cheetor were reviewing a video of Mad Jackel's fight with Quickstrike. They were hoping to learn a little more about their newest Maximal. Mad Jackel hadn't been with them very long and she was still pretty much a mystery to them. Rhinox hadn't been able to find a file on her either, it must have been accidentally deleted when they had crash landed. All they knew about her for sure was that she was a scientist of some sort.   
Rhinox looked at Optimus. "She certainly has her own way of doing things, doesn't she?"   
"Yes, but she seems to be working out well."   
"That is YOUR opinion." The three of them turned to see Dinobot enter the room.   
"Do you have a problem with our new Maximal?" asked Optimus.   
The raptor sighed, "There is just something strange about her, and I don't like the fact that all our information on her has disappeared."   
"Well, I like her," said Cheetor. The others gave him a strange look. "What?"   
Optimus Primal shook his head. "This is not something we really need to talk about. Mad Jackel has already proven herself a loyal Maximal, end of discussion!"   
Dinobot was about to say something but decided it would be best not to, and walked out of the room.   
  
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Mad Jackel switched off the intercom, she had heard every word they had said. She sat back in a chair and looked around her new quarters. It was full of scientific equipment and chemicals and stuff like that. It wasn't much, but she had seen worse labs back on Cybertron.   
Cybertron, now there was one place she wasn't to eager to go back to. She actually liked being stuck on this strange planet, finally she had a chance at a fresh start.   
Mad Jackel sighed. _Perhaps it was a mistake to have deleted the ship's file on me,_ she thought (she still had a copy of it on disk though). _No, if the others knew the truth they would never trust me again!_   
The young Maximal stood up. All this thinking was giving her a headache, maybe a little walk would help clear her mind.   
  
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Rattrap walked down the hallway munching an apple. Suddenly he stopped, he was sure he heard a noise coming from the next hallway. The transmetal put down the apple and cautiously looked around the corner only to see a large golden jackal walking toward him.   
"Yo MJ," he said addressing Mad Jackel by the nickname Cheetor had given her, "Where you going at this hour?"   
The female had been hoping she wouldn't run into anyone, especially Rattrap. "Why do you want to know?"   
"Well," said Rattrap, trying to be charming, "I was thinking if you didn't have any plans, you and I could spend a little... um... quality time together."   
Mad Jackel converted to robot mode. "What the heck are you taking about?"   
"You know," the rat moved closer to her, "My quarters, lights dim, just you and me..."   
She gave him a disgusted look. "Not even if you were the last male on this planet!" She began to walk away.   
Rattrap put his arm around her waist. "Aw come on, ain't like you've gotten a better offer."   
MJ grabbed him by the neck and shoved him into the wall. "I'm only going to tell you this once, Rattrap; when I say no I mean NO!! Get it?!"   
"Got it," he stuttered   
"Good," she let go of his neck and he dropped to the floor, then she walked off.   
Rattrap rubbed his neck (his pride was what hurt most though). He headed back the way he had come and nearly ran right into Livewire who was coming down the hall. He looked at her. _Maybe second time's the charm,_ he thought to himself. Besides, Livewire was closer to his own size anyhow.   
"Hey Livewire..." he began.   
"Don't even think about it Ratbreath!" she said walking right past him.   
Rattrap sighed and headed toward his quarters grumbling something about, "Lousy #&%@$ females who needs em anyway!!!"   
  
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Dinobot was relaxing in his quarters reading a book (which may seem like a unusual thing for him to be doing, but that's the truth); his back was turned toward the door. Suddenly the door swished open. He turned to face the intruder and was a little surprised at what he found. Standing in his doorway was a very shapely gold and silver female robot.   
"What are YOU doing here?" he asked Mad Jackel as she stepped into the room closing the door behind her.   
"I came to.... talk," she said moving toward the chair where he'd been sitting. She picked up the book and looked at the title. "The Red Badge of Courage, interesting choice of reading material."   
Dinobot looked at her suspiciously. "Did you just come here to talk about books or did you have another reason?"   
Mad Jackel smiled and put down the book. "Oh I have a reason," she moved closer to him. "You see, I get awfully lonely around here during the nights...."   
Dinobot was starting to understand what she had come for.   
The fembot put her hand on his chest. "....and I was hopping a certain brave, strong, handsome warrior would be willing to keep me company," she said sweetly pressing up against him.   
The raptor backed away from her and sat down in his chair. "I have no time for your romantic babble," he scowled.   
Mad Jackel leaned down so they were face to face. "Really?"   
He didn't answer. Mad Jackel kissed him gently on the cheek then headed toward the door swaying her hips.   
She stopped just before the door and turned back to him. "If you reconsider my offer, you know where to find me." The door closed behind her as she left.   
Dinobot sighed, he had to admit her offer was somewhat tempting, but a warrior like him couldn't be bothered by any kind of relationship. Could he? Dinobot rubbed his cheek where she had kissed him, he was going to have to give this some thought.   
  
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"According to this information, we my have just found what we've been looking for, yess!" Megatron was looking carefully over the data from a small disk. Quicksrike stood on the platform next to him and Inferno was standing guard nearby.   
"I woulda gotten more info," said Quickstrike a little nervously, "but them dang Maximals showed up."   
"Do they know about it?"   
"I don't reckon so."   
"Good." A wicked smile crossed Megatron's face. "Just think of it, a vast energon deposit waiting for us to come and get it! Yesss! By the time the Maximals figure out what's happening it will be too late!!"   
"Shouldn't we send someone to guard the deposit in case them Maximals start snooping around again?" asked the fuzor.   
"I doubt they will try anything tonight, but I will send some of the flyers out in the morning." He was actually talking more to himself than to Quickstrike. "I think I'll keep Inferno here in case something comes up. That just leaves the buzzers, they will do. I believe Sting Blade will be able to keep them in line."   
Megatron turned to Quickstrike and Inferno. "You two get some rest- we have much work ahead of us."   
"You got it boss."   
"Yes my Queen."   
Megatron watched them leave and grinned to himself. "Much work, yess.... Bwhahahahahahahahaha........!!!!!" 


	2. Secrets: Part 2

"Something bothering ya, Rhinox?" asked Rattrap   
"Yeah, something's bothering me big time!" said the rhino, who was studying over a holographic map. "I've got a bad feeling the Preds are up to something."   
"What makes you say that?" They turned to see Optimus enter the command center. Livewire walked in behind him.   
"Well, I'd sure like to know why they attacked in this area." Rhinox pointed to a rocky area on the map.   
"Yeah," Livewire cut in, "I was the only one out there scouting. Megs wouldn't sent all them Preds out just to attack me."   
"Exactly," Rhinox nodded. "There must be another reason they were out there, like maybe they found something they want to keep a secret."   
Rattrap moved over to Livewire. "Lucky we was close by to save your butt."   
"That's the only contact you'll ever have with it!" said the firefly under her breath so only Rattrap could hear her.   
"If the Predacons are hiding something we'd better find out what." The Maximal commander thought for a moment. "This is going to take some stealth."   
"You mean I gotta risk my tail again!" whined Rattrap.   
"No, I'm not going to send you."   
Rattrap looked at Optimus puzzled. "Who else is sneaky enough to do it?"   
"Mad Jackel, if anyone can get what we need it's her."   
"Get what?" asked Mad Jackel as she entered the room.   
Optimus smiled at her. "How are you at spying?"   
  
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"Thizz boring slag azzignment; Wazzpinator want to go home already!"   
"Buzz Saw want to go home too, got better thingzz to do than guard stupid rockzz!"   
"Will you two quit whining! If rockzz not guarded Megatron have our headzz!" said Sting Blade angrily. They had only been patrolling for a few hours and the guys were already driving her crazy.   
"Can't we least do something besidezz circle?" asked the yellow jacket.   
"Like what?" said Sting Blade and Waspinator in unison.   
"Like thizz!" Buzz Saw shoved Waspinator. "Tag, you're it!" he buzzed away.   
"Not fair, Wazzpinator not ready!" He tried to tag Sting Blade but she dodged him.   
"Going to have to catch me," she said flying after Buzz Saw. Waspinator flew after them.   
The three of them were so busy playing their game they didn't notice the large black widow spider crawling around below them.   
_Good,_ thought Blackarachnia, transforming into robot mode. She took a small device out from behind her back. _They won't mind me taking a few readings if they don't know about it._ She began scanning a rock with the device.   
Not far away, Mad Jackel crouched down low in the underbrush watching the flyers. She hadn't seen Blackarachnia. _Rhinox was right,_ she thought to herself. _Those bugs wouldn't be this far from their base unless they had a reason!_   
"Mad Jackel, maximize." She had just finished transforming when a stasis web suddenly came down over her.   
"What the...." MJ began but was cut short by Blackarachnia's fangs sinking into her neck. She fell limply onto the ground. The she-spider gathered her victim up in the web and began dragging her back toward the Predacon base. "One way or another, Maximal," she said in a low voice, "I'm going to get the answers I want!"   
Buzz Saw stopped in midair, causing Sting Blade and Waspinator to knock into him.   
"Why Buzz Saw stop?" asked Waspinator.   
"Buzz Saw thought he heard something."   
"Not see anything but rockzz," said Sting Blade, looking around.   
"Bother-bot need to get hearing checked," joked Waspinator. "By the way," he hit Buzz Saw in the arm, "Tag, you're it!"   
  
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"Ooo..." groaned Mad Jackel as she regained conciseness, only to find herself secured to a stasis web in the middle of a large cavern filled with equipment.   
"It's about time she woke up," said Tarantulas. "I think you used too much venom on her, Arachnia."   
"Well, I'm not exactly a expert on the immune system of jackals. Besides, she's awake now," replied Blackarachnia, a little annoyed.   
MJ looked down at the two spiders standing in front of the web in robot mode. _This is gonna get worse and worse, I just know it!_ she thought unhappily.   
"So what do you plan on doing with her anyway?" asked the transmetal. "I can think of a few things." He chuckled to himself.   
"Right now I want to get some information out of her, alone!" The black widow indicated for him to leave.   
"This is MY lab!" Tarantulas scowled.   
"She's MY prisoner! Besides, this is girl talk," she rubbed the side of his helmet sweetly with her claw, "You wouldn't be interested."   
Tarantulas couldn't resist her flirting and left the room without further argument.   
Arachnia turned to her captive. "Well, aren't you going to say anything? Maximals are usually more talkative."   
"I have nothing to say," she replied coldly.   
Blackarachnia was getting frustrated but she tried to stay calm. "I don't think we've ever been properly introduced."   
Mad Jackel looked at the floor. "We don't have to be, we already know each other well."   
"That's what I suspected," said the Predacon, now more curious than ever, "But HOW do we know each other?"   
The female lifted her head. "You really don't remember, do you?"   
"No," said Blackarachnia quietly. Mad Jackel looked her directly in the eyes.   
"We're sisters."   
  
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Airazor made another circle around the area, staying far enough away to avoid being noticed by the Predacon flyers. "Still no sign of Mad Jackel," she said over her com-link.   
At the other end of the com, Livewire gave a worried sigh. "Something isn't right here. She should've reported in hours ago!"   
Razor searched the underbrush with her falcon eyes. "MJ may be good at stealth, but this is ridiculous. If she's down there, I would have found her by now."   
"You tried radioing her?" asked Livewire.   
"All I get is static. Either there's too much energon interference, or she's too far out of range."   
"You think those buzzers might have gotten her already?"   
Airazor rolled her eyes. "No way! Those dumb insects can barley keep from bumping into each other, let alone capture a Maximal with out anyone knowing about it."   
"Hey, watch what you say about us insects," said the firefly crossly.   
"Sorry. I didn't mean it like that."   
Livewire sighed. "I didn't mean to blow up on you, it's just this stinkin' beast form I got."   
"I take it being a firefly wasn't in your plans when you signed up for this exploration."   
"Well, I don't mind the flying part of it. But for Primus's sake, I'm a bug! I'm a little six-legged thing with an exoskeleton and a light bulb attached to my butt!" fumed Livewire.   
"Umm... you okay?" asked Airazor.   
"Yeah," the female calmed down. "I just needed to take out a little aggression."   
"Good, then call Optimus. He needs to know what's going on." Airazor looked at the underbrush again. "I got a real bad feeling about this!"   
  
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Blackarachnia stood in the middle of the room with her mouth hanging open, trying to understand what she had heard. "Sisters?"   
She traced through her memory banks. There was definitely something buried deep in the back of her mind, but the Predacon reprogramming chip seemed to be blocking it. One thing was for sure though, Mad Jackel was telling the truth.   
"You'd probably like a little more explanation, huh?" said MJ, glad to finally get some relief for her guilty conscience.   
"It would be nice," Blackarachnia paused, "But how do I know you're not lying to me?"   
"You think I'd LIE about something like this?!"   
"I suppose not." She sighed, "You'd better start from the beginning."   
"This is gonna take a while." Mad Jackel took a deep breath. "Well, the whole thing actually started back on Cybertron with two scientists. One was a male Maximal the other a female Predacon. You might say they were our parents, so to speak. Anyway, they weren't too happy about the situation on Cybertron with the Maximals and the Predacon being in two separate classes. They wanted to find a way for all citizens to live in peace and harmony and stuff like that," she said a little sarcastically.   
"A pretty dream," said Blackarachnia, "But completely impractical."   
"Tell me me about it!" Jackel sighed. "They thought the best way to solve the problem was to not have protoforms be programmed specifically as Maximals or Predacons. So they created a programming chip that would create a robot that didn't really belong to any one group of citizens. The idea was that if everyone had the same programming they would be able to get along."   
"What does all this have to do with us?" asked her companion.   
"I'm getting to it," said Mad Jackel a little frustrated. "Don't interrupt!"   
Blackarachnia rolled her eyes. "All right, all right, just get on with the story already! Sheesh."   
"As I was about to say... the chip had a few major flaws in it. Without specific programming the protoforms ended up with a certain lack of mental stability...."   
"In other words, they got a bunch of lunatics," interrupted Blackarachnia. Mad Jackel gave her a dirty look. "Sorry, go on."   
"AS I was saying.. the only way to compensate for this was to add a little bit of Maximal and a little bit of Predacon programming to the chip so the robots would have a balance of the two. That took care of most of the sanity problem but it also created a few side effects of its own."   
"Such as?"   
"Oh... a pretty warped personality for one thing. But on the up side it did increase the intelligence level of the robots a great deal. I believe that may have been one of their objectives all along. Anyway, after a few more adjustments they finally perfected the chip. They also added a special device to resist reprogramming. The chip's original programming would stay in someone's system. No matter what!"   
  
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"That's all we know, she just ain't down there," sighed Livewire over her com-link to the Maximal base. "Livewire out."   
Rhinox shook his head. "You heard what she said, Optimus, something must have happened to Mad Jackel."   
The Maximal commander looked worried. "I know, and according to Airazor, the Predacons are guarding that area. But for what reason? More importantly, where's Mad Jackel?"   
"You don't think the Preds got her, do you?" asked Cheetor obviously very concerned.   
"I wish I knew," sighed Optimus.   
"It was a mistake to send her out there alone," growled Dinobot. "If anything is to happen to her it will be your fault!"   
"Hey, simmer down, leatherlips!" Rattrap said angrily. "MJ knew what she was getting herself into, it ain't Optimus's fault she's missing. And how come you're so concerned about her safety all of a sudden?"   
"That is none of your business, vermin!" snapped Dinobot, trying to grab Rattrap by the neck but Rhinox held him back.   
"Will you two knock it off, we don't have time for this!" yelled the large Maximal, not in his usually calm attitude.   
Rattrap backed off grumbling something about, "not going to take slag from an overgrown &^%$#@ lizard".   
Dinobot backed off as well and leaned against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. _Why am I so concerned about her anyway?_ he thought. The raptor tried to convince himself it was only because she was a fellow warrior. But no, there was definitely another reason. Could it be he was actually starting to like her? True, Mad Jackel could be annoying at times, but there was just something about her Dinobot found very appealing. Perhaps he should have a talk with her when she got back. If she got back! Now he was beginning to worry.   
Optimus sighed, "We're going to have to investigate the area ourselves. Rhinox, contact Livewire and Silverbolt, tell them to meet us at Airazor's position. But first, get ahold of Tigatron, I have a mission for him. You and Cheetor will stay at the base, I don't want to leave this place vacant even with Sentinel online!"   
"But Optimus...." began Cheetor. He didn't like the idea of being left behind.   
"No buts, Cheetor!" said Primal sternly. The cheetah just couldn't think of a response to that one.   
"Yo, did you get your logic circuits scrambled, boss-monkey?" asked Rattrap nervously. "We got no idea what might be out there. We could be walking into a Predacon trap!"   
"I'm afraid we've run out of options, Rattrap," said Optimus sadly.   
"But what about Mad Jackel?" asked Cheetor.   
"That's what I need Tigatron for. I'm going to have him check out the Predacon base. If they have her, he'll find her. If not..." Optimus shook his head; he didn't want to think about it. "Get your weapons ready. We leave as soon as we get word to the others!"   
  
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Meanwhile, back in Tarantulas's lab, Blackarachnia was leaning against a computer console, thinking. "Well, this seems to be making sense. It sounds strange, but I'm sort of remembering all this too." She turned to Mad Jackel, "So we were..?"   
MJ let out a long sigh. "We were their last two successful experiments. You were programmed first. Our 'mother' always said you were to be the first of a whole new race. They programmed me a little after that, so I guess I'm your younger sister." She laughed a little, "The sisters of the new empire, that's what they called us."   
"Perhaps their idea wasn't as sappy as I first thought," said Blackarachnia, a little amused. "But what happened that made us what we are now?"   
"Well, like I said, we were their LAST two successes. They tried to program more protoforms but something went terribly wrong...." Mad Jackel suddenly wished she didn't have to remember this part. "They were both killed in a lab explosion that destroyed almost all the information on the chip too! You and I were the only ones who made it out in one piece. The others they had programmed weren't so lucky...." She was silent for a long while.   
Blackarachnia suddenly felt something she hadn't felt for a long time, grief....   
  
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"I don't really like this plan!" said Silverbolt for about the millionth time. "I mean, just attacking the Predacons without knowing what's going on; it just seems unwise!"   
"First of all, we're not ATTACKING them, we're just checking out the place," said Livewire, extremely annoyed. "And second, if I have to listen to you whine anymore, I'm gonna rip those wings of yours off and shove em up your....."   
"WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP ALREADY!!!" yelled Airazor.   
The two flyers fell silent and Airazor let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you, geezz."   
Below them, the rest of the Maximals were hurrying toward the area where the Predacons had been spotted, all of them seemed to be worried.   
Dinobot was trying to keep his thoughts on the battle ahead of him, but his mind kept racing back to thoughts of something or rather SOMEONE else... Mad Jackel. _I must concentrate!_ he thought to himself. _This is not the time for unimportant romantic ideas!_ But even HE couldn't make himself believe that! The former Predacon hurried along with the others, but his head was still full of doubts and unanswered questions.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
After what seemed like an eternity, Mad Jackel went on slowly. "When the Maximal authorities found out what happened, they weren't exactly happy. Guess stealing unprogrammed protoforms isn't considered legal by them. But nobody held us responsible for what happened, so we simply became part of the community. Or at least we tried...." She looked away. "That was another problem. Our 'parents' had intended our programming to make us accepted, instead it made us outcasts! Seems nobody really trusts you if they don't know what side you're on."   
Blackarachnia shut her eyes, it was all coming back to her. The pain, the loneliness, the feeling of complete isolation, she remembered them now and she wished she hadn't.   
She opened her eyes again and noticed Mad Jackel was staring at her. "You remember it too, don't you?"   
The female Predacon nodded. "But I still don't understand how we ended up on a Maximal exploration ship, or, for that matter, why we had Maximal energy signatures while in the stasis pods."   
MJ rolled her eyes a little. "Well, we both sighed up for exploration missions hopping to get a fresh start after... well, you know. It was just by fate that we ended up on the same ship. As for the signatures, changing them was the only way the Maximals would let us on the ship!"   
"Oh," Blackarachnia felt a little embarrassed; she should have thought of that herself. She looked at Mad Jackel suspiciously for a moment. "Why are you telling me all this, anyway?"   
"Guilty conscious, I guess." A weird smile suddenly crossed Mad Jackel's face. "Or maybe I have a reason for you to know."   
"Are you purposing that WE could use this to our advantage?"   
"Well, I don't have any reason to stay with the Maximals," said Mad Jackel in a sly voice. "Two females with our intelligence could become very powerful indeed."   
Blackarachnia let out an evil laugh. "Oh, you MUST be my sister, we think alike!"   
"Yes! Now how about letting me down from this web?" She smiled wickedly. "We have plans to make, Sister...."   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Up in the Predacon command center, Megatron was studying over a map grid of the energon deposit, trying to decide the best way to mine it. Tarantulas was busy working over his computer console. Quickstrike, who had gotten bored waiting for Megatron to give him any orders, was on the other side of the room playing a video game.   
Suddenly, something on Tarantulas's computer started beeping. "Megatron!" he shouted. "I'm getting a communication from Sting Blade!"   
"Well?!" growled Megatron.   
"They're too far away; it won't come in clearly."   
"Than make it!" snapped the larger Predacon. Tarantulas began typing furiously at his keyboard until a static felled voice was heard over the computer.   
"Megatron... attack... Maxzzimals... zzend... HURRY.." Sting Blade's broken up message was suddenly cut short.   
"BLAST!!" the Predacon leader slammed his fist into the computer, then hit a small button on the control panel. "Blackarachnia, get up here at once! We have a Maximal problem to take care of!"   
Blackarachnia's face appeared on the screen. "I'm afraid I can't," she said in her most sickeningly sweet voice. "I'm in the middle of a very important project that YOU commanded me to work on. Besides, we wouldn't want to leave the base unguarded, would we?"   
Megatron growled a little, but he wasn't in the mood to argue. "Very well, we will go without you." The female Predacon's image disappeared from the screen.   
By now Quickstrike had turned off his video game and was listening to the conversation with interest. "Yeah mean we're gonna fight?"   
"No, we're going to have a tea party. Of course we've going to fight you short-circuited half-arachnid!" scowled Tarantulas sarcastically.   
"WHOOP DANG!!" shouted Quickstrike gleefully, "A rumble at last!" Before the other two Predacons could say anything he was already halfway out of the base.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Meanwhile Inferno had been guarding the entrance to the base.   
"Yi ha!"   
He turned to see Quickstrike running past him at full speed. Inferno scratched his head for a moment, trying to figure out what was going on. (though having the imagination of a toaster oven, he didn't come up with much)   
"Inferno," yelled Megatron, "Come!"   
Inferno, being the good drone that he was, didn't ask questions and followed his leader toward the battle.   
Tarantulas stopped in the doorway for a moment, shaking his head. "It's going to be a looooong day." He then transformed to cycle mode and raced after the others.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"That was almost too easy!" laughed Blackarachnia.   
"Yep," grinned Mad Jackel as she leaned against the side of the computer console. "Megatron is quite the fool, isn't he?"   
"Indeed!"   
The sisters burst into an eerie, hysterical laughter that echoed throughout the base. 


	3. Secrets: Part 3

"Why hasn't anyone reported in?" asked Cheetor as he paced the floor of the Maximal base nervously.   
"Calm yourself, Cheetor. By now they're probably just too far away to contact us. It's nothing to worry about," Rhinox said in his calm, rational voice. "But if you keep pacing like that, you're going to wear a hole in the floor," he joked.   
"Sorry, big green." He tried to stand still, which turned out to be harder than it sounds. "But I'm worried about MJ! I mean, if the Preds got her, they might try to reprogram her or worse!"   
"You certainly are concerned for her, aren't you?"   
"She's my friend."   
"Is that ALL?"   
"Well... I mean... it's just..." Cheetor shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Every time I think about her I sort of get this weird feeling, and whenever I'm near her I just get all nervous and can't think of anything to say. I just don't know how to describe it."   
Rhinox smiled at his much younger friend. "I think the humans called it puppy love."   
"Huh?"   
"You have a crush on her, don't you?"   
"Well..." Cheetor put his hands behind his back. "Yeah... I guess so."   
Rhinox grinned. "You're not the only one."   
The young male looked at him, his eyes growing wide.   
"Not ME I mean," said the rhino, reassuring his fellow Maximal. "But Rattrap seems to like her, too. Then again, Rattrap would go after any female that had a pulse!"   
They both laughed at that joke.   
"Rhinox," Cheetor's face grew serious. "Do you really think I'd stand a chance with her?"   
Rhinox nodded. "Kid, with everything that's happened to us since we landed here I'd say anything is possible."   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"This," said Optimus, dodging another blast, "Is not how I hopped this would go!"   
"You were hoping to have a nice little chat with the Predacons, perhaps?"   
Optimus ignored Dinobot's sarcastic remark and let loose a few missiles. "I thought we could avoid an all-out battle like this!"   
The former Predacon lanced out with his eye beams and managed to hit Tarantulas, sending the unfortunate spider flying. "Well, it is too late for that, and it is seven of them against the six of us!" he growled.   
"I thought those were your kind of odds?" said Silverbolt in his overly cheerful manner.   
Dinobot gave him a strange look. Silverbolt rarely made jokes, especially in the middle of battle.   
"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I was just trying to lighten the situation."   
"Well don't!" the raptor hissed.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Meanwhile, in the sky above them the flyers were involved in their own battle.   
"Let me just go on record as saying THIS STINKS!" said Livewire, trying to avoid being shot by the Predacons in front of her.   
Airazor was too busy too answer her remark. Suddenly, Sting Blade came rushing at her. The falcon only had a moment to think, _Well it's worked before._ She aimed her wrist missiles at the Predacon. Before Sting Blade could realize what was happening, the missiles had sliced through her wings.   
The unfortunate hornet crashed to the ground, her gun landing a short distance away next to Rattrap, who had been watching the whole thing.   
He picked up the gun. "Nice shot," he yelled up to Airazor, then headed toward the damaged Predacon.   
"Be careful," shouted Airazor as she flew off.   
"Careful?" Rattrap laughed. He was now only a few inches from Sting Blade but he didn't notice her reaching slowly behind her back. "She doesn't have her gun or her wings, how dangerous can she....ahhhhh!"   
The transmetal stepped back just in time, the edge of Sting Blade's sword narrowly missing his face. She used his surprise to her advantage, hooking her foot around the back of his leg and tripping him.   
He landed on his back and the Predacon held him down with her foot. "Zztupid Maxzzimal underezztimate me," she buzzed happily, her sword pressed against his throat.   
If he could have, Rattrap probably would have smacked himself on the forehead. He had forgotten why she had gotten the name Sting BLADE in the first place.   
She raised the sword high above her frightened victim for the killing blow. "Goodbye Maxzzimal!"   
"I don't think so!"   
A whip suddenly wrapped itself around the sword, trying to yank it away from its owner. Sting Blade, however, was not about to let go of her favorite weapon and so got dragged along with it as the two were pulled away from Rattrap. In a moment the whip managed to wrench the sword out of her hands.   
The confused Predacon lay on the ground for a few seconds, trying to comprehend what had just happened. She saw her sword lying inches away from her and made a grab for it. But she stopped when a dark shadow suddenly fell over her. Sting Blade lifted her head and looked into Livewire's grinning face.   
"Say good night!" Livewire smacked Sting Blade hard across the face, causing her to tumble over backward.   
The female tried to get up but by now her systems had taken all they were going to take. She staggered for a moment, then passed out into a bliss of unconsciousness.   
Rattrap stared in amazement at the Predacon sprawled on the ground, then turned his attention to the female who was untangling her whip from the sword.   
"You okay?" There was obvious concern in her voice.   
"Ah ya, thanks. I owe ya one."   
Livewire suddenly felt a little awkward. "Whatever, just get off your butt and start shooting something, will ya!"   
She flew off before Rattrap could say anything more. He shook his head and headed back toward the rest of the battle.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"So let me see if I've got this straight," said Mad Jackel, walking slowly across the lab. "I go back to the Maximals as a spy, collect information, steal weapons, et cetera, while you and Tarantulas continue to work on your plan here. And then when the time is right....."   
"We STRIKE!!" Blackarachnia pounded her claw into a table. "Megatron won't even know what's happening!"   
"And your sure Chuckles will agree to this arrangement?"   
"Tarantulas wants power and I'm his best way of getting it. He'll do what we want." Blackarachnia laughed. "And the other Predacons will serve us when they see my... I mean, OUR superiority."   
"Speaking of the other Preds, where did they go in such a hurry anyway?" asked MJ causally.   
"They went to attack your former comrades at the very place you were fighting yesterday. Ironic, isn't it?"   
"What's so special about that place anyway? Primal sent me there to spy but I haven't got the slightest clue what I was looking for."   
"That's the secret...." A sly smile crossed the Predacon's face. "Megatron doesn't think I know about the energon deposit, the fool!"   
"Energon deposit!" Mad Jackel rubbed her hands together excitedly. "Now there's an interesting bit of information, how did you get it anyway?"   
"Quickstrike isn't very good at keeping things from me," Blackarachnia said coyly. "One kiss and he told me everything he knew."   
Her sister laughed. "Seduction always was one of our best assets!"   
"I know." She paused. "I'm beginning to remember a lot now, actually."   
Mad Jackel betrayed a nervous look. "You don't say."   
The she-spider tried to clear her thoughts. It was like a siren was going off in her head, trying to warn her of something. But of what?   
The other female looked at her suspiciously. "Something wrong?"   
"No it's just...." The Predacon turned away. "There's something not quite right about all this...."   
Blackarachnia turned back to her sister, only to find a small crossbow aimed directly at her face. Mad Jackel wore an almost mournful look. "For once, sister, we agree on something."   
"Why?!" her eyes burned with rage.   
"I said we we're sisters, I never said we liked each other!"   
Blackarachnia's expression was that of pure shock, but slowly it changed to anger. "I remember now, we hated each other!!"   
Mad Jackel looked downcast for a moment. That was just the opportunity the spider needed. She whacked the Maximal's hand with her claw, sending the crossbow flying.   
"You tried to trick me you little...." Blackarachnia was too mad to finish her sentence and merely lunged at her sister.   
Jackel was caught off guard and slammed hard into the floor. Arachnia's claws went for her throat. Suddenly something inside her came to attention. She grabbed the Predacon by the wrists (at least where her wrists would be if she actually had hands) and held the claws away.   
The Maximal gritted her teeth. "You have no idea how sick I am of having to listen to you!!" She kneed Blackarachnia hard in the ribs, pushing her away.   
Both females managed to get to to their feet. Blackarachnia delivered a high kick to the side of her sister's head, sending her staggering backward into some equipment.   
"And now," the Predacon brought her own crossbow up from behind her back. "We finish it!"   
Mad Jackel's eyes narrowed into slits. She grabbed her energon dagger and made a mad rush at her sister before she could fire.   
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" Blackarachnia screamed as the dagger cut a large gash down her arm. MJ hit her with a right hook and she stumbled backward, landing on the floor.   
The Maximal loomed over her like a vulture, the barrel of her gun pressed against Blackarachnia's forehead. She glared up at her sister. "Just kill me and get it over with!"   
The expression on Mad Jackel's face had been dark but now it turned to that of somewhat amusement.   
"Now where's the fun in that?" she grabbed a few marble-like objects from a compartment on her belt and threw them toward the spider. They exploded into a mist of greenish gas.   
"What..." cough "...are you..." cough "...doing?" Arachnia managed to gag out.   
Mad Jackel had stepped back and was now grinning a bit maniacally. "Let's just say I'd rather continue this at a later date."   
Blackarachnia passed out from the sleeping gas.   
_Okay,_ MJ thought to herself. _Now what?_ She looked over at the web still hanging in the middle of the cave. "Hmmmm....."   
A few minutes later, Mad Jackel stepped back to admire her handiwork, which was Blackarachnia stuck to her own web. "This ought to make a nice little surprise for chuckles when he gets back," she mused.   
She began to head out but then turned back. _Am I just going to leave?_ Mad Jackel thought for a moment, it would be easy to just destroy her sister once and for all and maybe even sabotage the Predacon ship. But something inside her told her now was not the time. Maybe it was because despite everything the Predacon was still her sister. Maybe she was more concerned about the other Maximals. Maybe she was just afraid. Or could it be that maybe... just maybe she somehow knew she had a bigger part to play in all this? At the moment it really didn't matter.   
She transformed to beast mode and gave Blackarachnia one last look. "We will meet again, sister." Then in a flash of golden tan fur she was gone.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Even with most of its residents gone, the Predacon base was not the easiest place to sneak into. Tigatron noted this as he blasted away yet another auto gun.   
_It's too quiet,_ he thought to himself. _Something isn't right!_   
Suddenly a noise! Panting, yes that's what it was and it was getting louder. The tiger crouched behind a rock, awaiting the enemy. The noise grew closer till it was practically on top of him. Tigatron sprang out from the rock, weapon drawn. "Freeze Preda......"   
He stopped in mid-sentence. Standing in front of him was a large but rather terrified golden jackal.   
"Jackel!" he exclaimed. "Where have you been? Everyone's been worried sick about you!"   
"Stripes, you have no idea the kinda day I'm having!" She caught her breath. "But if we don't want it to get any worse, we better get our tails over to the energon deposit, now!"   
Tigatron's jaw dropped. "Energon deposit?!"   
"I'll explain later, right now let's move!"   
Mad Jackel bounded away as fast as her four legs would carry her. Her companion converted to tiger mode and quickly followed suite.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Man, I just shouldn'ta got out of bed this morning!" sighed Rattrap "We're gonna die!!"   
"Will you STOP saying that!" snapped Dinobot. He didn't know which was worse, the Predacons or the rodent.   
"I know things seem bleak," said Silverbolt, trying to be helpful. "But we must keep a positive attitude."   
Rattrap groaned. "We don't need a positive attitude, what we need is some backup!"   
"Did somebody call us?"   
The Maximals turned to see Mad Jackel and Tigatron heading towards them, already in robot mode.   
Dinobot was relieved to see Mad Jackel was all right. Of course, he wouldn't admit that to anyone else. "Where have you been?" he growled.   
"Long story," she shot him a half smile. "Did I miss anything important?"   
Primal sighed. "Only that the Predacons seem to be guarding this area and we're in the middle of a battle over it. I don't suppose you were able to find out anything about this place?"   
A sly smile spread across the female's face. "As a matter of fact, I did. Old Meggy found a good-sized energon deposit and he doesn't want to share."   
"Well, that explains a lot," Rattrap shook his head. "But now whata we do?"   
"You die, Maximals!!"   
Optimus moved out of the way just moments before the ground he had been standing on was reduced to smoldering ash, compliments of Megatron's cannon.   
The Predacon leader grinned evilly. "So you've discovered my little secret. Well it doesn't matter, and in a few moments Primal, you won't either!" He leveled his cannon at Optimus.   
"I think not!"   
Megatron's shot thankfully missed its mark as Airazor slammed into him. Unfortunately that's when most of the other Predacon showed up and Quickstrike blasted Airazor in the back.   
"LEAVE HER ALONE!!!" Tigatron growled in rage as he tackled the fuzor.   
The other Maximals joined in the fight. Considering they outnumbered the Predacons at the moment, hand to hand combat was probably their best option.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Meanwhile, above all this, Livewire would have loved to help her teammates but she had her own problem. Namely, two Predacons, Waspinator and Buzz Saw, against the one of her.   
The firefly got blasted hard by one of the insects and was sent flying back a few feet, slamming her shoulder against a rock as she landed. Livewire clutched her shoulder in pain as she helplessly watched the Predacons aim their guns at her. "Oh man, I am dead meat!"   
It was then she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Where she had hit the rock, the stone seemed to have peeled away, reveling a shimmery blue surface underneath.   
"Oh Primus...ENERGON!!!" she managed to stutter. With energy she didn't know she had Livewire scrambled away just as two twin blasts hit the rock.   
Waspinator and Buzz Saw exchanged worried looks at what they had just heard. They weren't the smartest bots in the world but they knew what happens when energon gets hit with an energy blast, it explodes!   
The two hightailed their stingers out of there only stopping momentarily to pick up the still unconscious Sting Blade. Livewire did likewise.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Uh b-boss...." Quickstrike stuttered.   
"What is it, fool?" Megatron growled, about to fire at Optimus. "Can't you see I'm busy?!"   
"I....uh....think we got bigger problems!" The fuzor pointed to the exposed energon crystal that was now building up tremendous power for its explosion.   
"Another time, Primal!" Megatron converted to beast mode. "Predacons, retreat!"   
The Predacons didn't need to be told twice and quickly retreated.   
Livewire staggered over to the other Maximals, still clutching her shoulder. "Guys, in a few minutes this place is gonna be ground zero, so could we please GET OUTTA HERE!!"   
Optimus grabbed her and flew off. Tigatron helped the damaged Airazor up and all the Maximals made tracks.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Both factions were a safe distance away before the crystal finally exploded, shattering into a million pieces. That would have been bad enough, but it also set off all the other energon in the area. Everyone sheltered their eyes as the energon exploded in a brilliant blue light that engulfed the entire sky and then was gone.   
"Oh man!" Rattrap blinked a few times as his optics adjusted back to the darkness of late afternoon. "So much for the energon!"   
For once, nobody argued with him.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Livewire stepped out of the CR chamber and tested her shoulder. Assured that it was no longer damaged, she turned to the others sitting around in the command center. "Ya know, havin a professional medic around here would sure come in handy. Uh.. no offense, Rhinox!"   
The Maximal's temporary medic smiled at her. "None taken. I wouldn't mind having someone else to do this job so I can get back to mine."   
Cheetor sat down next to Mad Jackel, who was leaning her head against her hands. "Hey MJ, you okay? You haven't said three words since you got back."   
"Hmmmm?" She looked up. "No... I'm fine."   
"Good, then there are a few things I'd like you to explain." Optimus looked at her. "And I want the whole story!"   
"Well I... um... I..." Mad Jackel suddenly had the feeling everyone was staring at her. _Okay Jackel, decision time!_ she thought to herself. _Either lie to them and save your skin or tell them the truth and get rid of this guilt!_ She sighed. _Stupid conscience!_   
She pulled a small disk out from a compartment on her belt and handed it to her commander. "Here, I can't lie to you anymore. This will explain things."   
Optimus looked at Rhinox, Rhinox looked at Optimus. Everyone else looked at Mad Jackel, who didn't say anything. She didn't have to. The disk told everything about her programming, the death of her 'parents', and her sister. The other few details that weren't mentioned MJ told to them herself.   
Optimus Primal paced the floor, thinking.   
Mad Jackel stood in front of him, feeling like a criminal awaiting judgment. "Optimus," she finally managed to choke out. "I know I shouldn't have kept this from you. I deserve whatever punishment I get."   
"Then what you deserve," Optimus looked into her pale purple eyes, "Is a second chance."   
Jackel's jaw nearly dropped.   
The Maximal commander smiled. "What you did was wrong, but it is forgivable."   
"If ya haven't noticed, giving folks second chances seems to be a habit around here," smirked Rattrap from across the room. "Heck, we've given ol' Chopperface plenty of em!"   
Dinobot growled.   
Mad Jackel still looked a little worried. "I just didn't think you would trust me again."   
"No, I trust you." Optimus shook his head. "To be completely unpredictable, and that's good enough for me."   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Man, what a day!" said Mad Jackel as she finished typing the day's events into her desktop computer. _I really ought to upgrade this thing,_ she thought. _Expand the memory, add some personality components, it would make a nice pet project...._   
Her train of thought was interrupted by a knock at her door. "Come in."   
The door opened and in stepped Dinobot. Mad Jackel frowned; he was the last person she wanted to see right now. She had probably blown any chance of romance she might have had with him and she wasn't in the mood to be lectured on what she had done.   
"What do you want?" she sighed.   
"I only came here to say that I thought what you did was..." he paused. "Honorable."   
Her eyes widened. "But... but I lied about my past!"   
"Yes, but you did it to regain your honor and you did confess the truth. That in itself is honorable."   
"Thanks." Jackel put her hands behind her back. "Is that all you came to talk about?"   
"Well... no actually," Dinobot smiled (something he didn't do often). "I was wondering... if your offer was still open?"   
She just stared at him, too surprised to say anything. Dinobot put his hand against the side of her face and gently pressed his lips against hers. Mad Jackel was a little taken aback but she wasn't about to resist him. She threw her arms around his neck, holding him close.   
At last they loosened their embrace. Jackel stared into the raptor's eyes. "You do know this could lead to an actual relationship between two people who truly care about each other?"   
Dinobot laughed. "I am willing to take that chance."   
Mad Jackel couldn't help but laugh a little too. Then she pulled him towards her and kissed him.   
Dinobot wrapped his arms around her and quietly turned out the light.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Blackarachnia's consciousness slowly came back to her. The first thing she felt was anger. She had an intense need to hurt somebody and she didn't really care who. The spider smashed the air with her claw in hopes it would hit something. It did, with a loud 'clank'.   
"Ouch!" yelled a familiar voice. "Watch it, witch!!"   
Arachnia regained her vision and found herself lying on a table staring up at Tarantulas, who was rubbing his face where she had accidentally hit him. "What happened?" she groaned.   
"That is what I'd like to know!" growled the larger spider, still a bit bitter about being smacked. "I found you blacked out and stuck to the web when I got back. I take it your prisoner got the best of you."   
"Shut up Tarantulas!" Blackarachnia sat up and looked herself over for damage. She noticed a scar now covered the gash on her arm made by Mad Jackel's dagger, it would take a long time for that wound to heal completely. She ran her claw over the scar and growled. "She's going to pay for this!"   
"Would you please tell me what in the pit is going on?!" snapped Tarantulas. She glared at him for a moment.   
"You might as well make yourself comfortable," Blackarachnia sighed. "It's a looooong story...."   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
**EPILOGUE**   
Three solitary figures stood atop the hill. Neither the Maximals nor the Predacons noticed them or even acknowledged their existence. The animals of the forest did not dare to disturb them for they knew well of the power they held.   
The three were identical in almost every respect. Each wore the same white silken gown and had the same icy blue eyes that seemed to reflect all the knowledge of the universe at once. Their only difference was in the color of their long flowing hair. One's was golden blonde as the sun itself, the second's was black as a starless night, and the last's was white as the frozen snow.   
They looked down upon the world the two sides had been fighting over for so long and they wondered.   
"Our plan has at last been set into motion," said the golden haired one.   
"Yes," replied the black haired one. "Two sisters now stand on opposite sides. Bound both by hatred and by love."   
"Others will join them," said the white haired one. "And the battle will continue."   
"That sisters," said the blonde, "Is what we must observe."   
"And the outcome may decide their fate," said her dark haired sister.   
The white haired one turned to them. "For from that, the Master shall make his decision."   
"And we will be present at that time!" said all the sisters in unison.   
Then in a flash, they where gone, leaving not a trace that they were ever there. But they would return! Whoever they are...


End file.
